Huntsville gazette., 1887-07-16
Barbarism in Mississippi.

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nent Of misd ,meanors which is not
reform tory, which turns the con-
vict loose upon society hardened and
more depraved in morals, is unwise
Ind barbarOus; when to this il add
ed such treatment of the pris )ner as
to break down his health turning
him loose both moral lsper and
physical wreck and an invalid-the
system becom not orly barbarous
but brutal and climin,l The state
or county which allows it d. serves to
be vi tied with the Iighteons indig-
nation of all christian and civil:z d
communities for tolersting such an
unchristian and bebasing practice.
The convict system in Alabama,
guarded as it is by State inspectors
sworn to prooect and shield the un-
fortunate prisoner against cruel
abuse a,l torspor. full ythe con litioa
ant care Of convicts, is yet open 10
to the peri etrstion of untold aLu 1es
and cruelties and now and then to
cold bloc led an shocking murders
which seek the light and bring dis
grace upon the state. The end is
not to reform him but to secure 80
and many dollarsand cents for the Fl ne
costsimIosed, at the same time pun
ishing and humitiating him by hard
labor and confinement.
While the state IS thus d .gr .ding
the convict do IS it not also degrade
labor? Why should the state suffer
free or honest labor to be brought
into competition with convict labor,
and these laborers kicked, whipped
and doged to the end of their en-
durance nd at cut throat wages.
Yet as bad as it is here. as out
rageons As it isin Georgia with its
inhuman chaingangs. in Mi sissippi,
it seems from recent developments,
to be even worse.
Can anything more shocking or in
human be imagined or any stronger
or more convincing appeal be made
for an immediate and persistent and
unyiclding demand for a thorough
Prison reform in These states. than
the following sickening facts de-
veloped by the Kinds county grand
Jury, and telegraphed the world as
follows:
jackson, Miss, July 1.-The re-
port of the grand jury for Kinds
county has product big sensation
here and much indignation prevails.
In reference to the hospital the re-
port says:
I'VE found twenty six inmates, all
OF whom have been lately brougt
there off the farms and railroads,
many of them with corruption and
OIL 9 incurable diseases, and all b, :
ing on their persons marks OF the
most inhuman and brutal treatment.
Most of them have their backs cut in
graet gashes, scars and blisters, some
the skin peeling of in pieces as the re-
suit of severe beating. Their feet and
hands in some instances show signs Of
frost bite, and all of them have the
st .mp # manhoo | alb, ut bloted out Of
their face, which show that they have
been treated more cruelty and bru-
tally taan a nation of savages ought
to permit inflicted upon its convicts.
They are lying there dying, some of
them on bare boards. so poor amt
emaciated that their bones almost
come thr ugh their skin. many COM
planning for the want Of food. We be-
lieve they are improperly fed. Sick
persons should have light diet and
their beef, wat, and meat for soups.
Asw.a 9 informe', III ~ are fe with
c arse meat and csbbage-such diets
as they cannot eat Oae convict burst
into tears, saying that he WAS liter
ally starving 10 death. Live vermin
were seen crawling Ger the faces OF
the sick; the bedding was light ard
stiff with dirt and filth.
The lessees, as individuals ars not
conde mned, but the system and prin-
ciple which permit the State to take
. poor creatures liberty away and
trru him Ovorfo kh,.oo uhOao irforort